Overview of PathAble AI
PathAble AI is a pre-seed stage HIPAA-compliant platform that empowers vocational rehabilitation agencies, schools, and disability employment programs to scale quality support without sacrificing the human connection. We’re a CES 2026 Featured Startup with a Rutgers University research partnership and strong pilot pipeline (including Drexel University). Our team combines 20+ years of lived experience in disability services with senior-level enterprise software engineering expertise, including government systems and HIPAA compliance.
Our Ask
We’re seeking strategic partnerships for pilot validation, potential investment opportunities for our $750K pre-seed round, and connections to provider agencies, school districts, and disability employment organizations across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. We’re also open to advisory relationships with individuals who have deep expertise in government sales, impact investing, or disability services technology.
Product or Service
The PathAble AI Platform is a two-sided solution: (1) a staff-facing web dashboard that centralizes participant management, automates documentation with AI-generated notes, provides customizable task workflows, and generates compliance-ready reports; and (2) a participant-facing mobile app offering 24/7 AI-guided workplace support, accessible step-by-step task checklists, scenario-based training, and secure communication with support staff. Our “human-in-the-loop” philosophy means AI augments—never replaces—the critical relationships between job coaches and the individuals they serve. The platform is accessibility-first (WCAG-compliant, voice-enabled, low cognitive load) and purpose-built for this sector—not retrofitted from generic case management tools.
Company Impact
We address a system in crisis—vocational rehabilitation coaches manage 25-200 participants, each spending 40%+ of their time on administrative work, contributing to staff burnout and 35-45% first-year job turnover for staff in these support positions. Our platform targets a 40% reduction in administrative time, enabling coaches to serve 20-30% more participants without additional hires while improving job retention outcomes and reducing wait lists.
Innovation: PathAble AI is the first HIPAA-compliant, AI-powered workforce support platform co-designed with disability employment agencies specifically for this market. Unlike generic case management systems, we embed accessibility from the ground up, integrate guidance directly into workplace contexts, and provide real-time insights that enable early intervention. Our approach trains both staff and participants on responsible AI use, building critical digital literacy while delivering measurable operational efficiency. Benefit access guidance and walk-throughs.
Primary Audience
buyers: Program directors and executives at vocational rehabilitation agencies, school transition programs (ages 16+), and disability employment nonprofits.
Primary users (staff): Job coaches, transition specialists, vocational counselors, and case managers who directly support individuals with disabilities.
Primary beneficiaries (participants): Job seekers with disabilities (including intellectual/developmental disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, deaf/hard of hearing, and mental health conditions) who are seeking or maintaining competitive employment. Our platform could serve millions of individuals annually across 23,000+ organizations in our total addressable market.
Partnership Opportunity
Pilot partnerships: Organizations willing to serve as validation partners (pilots launching Q1/Q2 2026) to test the platform with real participants and provide testimonials and outcome data.
Research collaborations: Academic institutions, policy organizations, or research centers interested in studying AI’s impact on disability employment outcomes, workforce development, or accessibility technology adoption.
Strategic integrations: Partnerships with complementary service providers—community resource directories (like our Making Space partnership), employer matching platforms, benefits navigation systems, or existing VR software vendors seeking to modernize their offerings.
Government/advocacy partnerships: State vocational rehabilitation agencies (like our discussions with VT HireAbility and Pennsylvania OVR), education associations (like NJEA), or federal agencies interested in piloting innovative approaches to employment support and AI skills training.
Impact investment/mission-aligned funding: Social impact investors, disability-focused funds, workforce development grant programs, or corporate partners (especially in accessible tech or HR tech sectors) interested in supporting inclusive employment infrastructure.
Advisory relationships: Industry veterans who can guide government procurement, scaling disability services, or navigating regulatory environments (HIPAA, FERPA, state contracts).
Funding Needs
Most immediate need is $25K – $30K to cover the first round of pilots. This will give us runway and cover our liabilities (insurance, legal, vendors, etc.). Anticipated needs will surround general SaaS operating expenses:
35% Initial hires (Product Lead, Customer Success/Onboarding Specialist, AI Engineer)
25% Product development (complete MVP to production-ready, security hardening, pilot feature requests)
15% Sales/Marketing (pilot conversion, content creation, conference presence)
15% Legal, G&A, Operations (incorporation costs, insurance, accounting, regulatory compliance)
10% Support & Onboarding (pilot delivery infrastructure, training materials, help desk setup)